A Child's Innocence
by Autore Raita
Summary: "Tsu-kun is going to work hard! So that Otou-san will come home and praise Tsu-kun!" Nana always did her best to raise her child up. She held no expectations for him, only wished for his safety. She never would have thought that that would cause a permanent scar to form in his heart. And Iemitsu was too far away and clueless to know. Angst. Parent/Child.


"Okaa-san, look, look! I passed my Maths test for the first time!" seven year old Tsuna bounced happily in front of Nana, clutching his maths papers to his chest with a broad grin.

Nana smiled fondly at her only son as she reached down to pinch his cheeks gently, "Good job, Tsu-kun. If you keep this up, Otou-san will definitely come home so that he can praise Tsu-kun."

Tsuna's eyes lit up instantly at the idea, "Really?"

Nana giggled at how adorable her son was, "Of course! Now, as a reward, I'll make Tsu-kun's favourite Omelet Rice today!"

"Yay!" Tsuna tackled his mother into a tight hug, unable to control his happiness.

* * *

"Congratulations, Tsuna, you've improved again," Ari smiled softly at the brunette boy, giving him a small pat on the head as she returned him his papers.

Tsuna's eyes widened instantly at her words as he gave her a small shy smile, "Arigatou! Sensei!"

"Why are you praising Dame-Tsuna, Sensei? Its not as if he scored really well," one of the kids snickered as he reached forward to snatch his papers, "56 marks? Even I can do better than that!"

Tsuna instantly flushed red as he glanced down at the floor shamefully.

Ari frowned, taking the paper back from the boy and handing it back to Tsuna, "That wasn't nice. Apologise now."

"As if I would!" the boy stucked his tongue out at Tsuna before running away.

Ari heaved an exasperated sigh before leaning down to Tsuna's height. Placing a hand on his head, she smiled at him gently, "Don't mind him, alright, Tsuna? All you have t do is work hard. You might be slower at studying than the rest f them but that doesn't mean you can't catch up."

Tsuna nodded at her with a small excited smile, "Un! Tsu-kun is going to work hard so that Otou-san will come home and praise Tsu-kun!"

Ari resisted a chuckle as her student switched to speaking in third person, "Yes, yes he will."

Tsuna beamed at her.

* * *

_Mama is going to be really happy when she finds out I improved again! _Tsuna thought with a grin as he ran back home.

"Neh, neh, Nana, I heard that your son failed his test again!"

Tsuna's footsteps slowed down as he heard people talking. Hiding behind a wall, he watched as his mother conversed with a few of their neighbours.

"Really? That's pathetic! Even my Hiro-kun can do better!"

"I guess that's what happens when a child grows up without a father, huh?"

He narrowed his eyes as his mother stood there silently as the gossipy ladies continued speaking. With a pout, he glanced down at his test papers, _Tsu-kun is not pathetic! Even sensei said so!_

Defiantly, he ran forward, ignoring the ladies as he hugged his mom, "Okaa-san! Sensei said Tsu-kun's test grades improved again!"

Almost instantly, Nana's eyes light up as she leaned down to take the paper from him, "Really, Tsu-kun?"

"Un! I scored 56 marks this time!" Tsuna announced proudly and beamed as she leaned down to hug him.

The ladies around them snickered, "Well, we'll leave you to your son, Nana."

Tsuna watched puzzledly as they walked away, smirking arrogantly.

Tugging on his mother's skirt to catch her attention, he tilted his head a little, "Neh, Okaa-san, Tsu-kun did a good job, didn't he?"

"Yep! Tsu-kun did a great job!" Nana exclaimed, lifting him up into her arms.

Tsuna's grinned.

However, if he would just pay slightly more attention to his mother's eyes, he might have noticed the flash of disappointment that disappeared just as quickly as it came.

* * *

"Its alright, Tsuna. I'll teach you the parts you don't understand again tomorrow okay? Just work harder next time!" Ari cheered him on as she passed him back the papers with the word, "Failed" on it.

Taking it from her, Tsuna sniffed disappointedly, "Un.."

"Now, now, cheer up! Its okay, alright?" Ari soothed, handing him a little chocolate with a small wink, "Don't tell anyone I gave you this!"

* * *

"S-sorry, Okaa-san.." Tsuna glanced down at the floor, twiddling his fingers nervously, "I'll work harder the next time.."

Nana glanced at the papers with a sigh. Giving her son a comforting smile, "Its alright Tsu-kun, I've already gotten used to it-"

Tsuna widened his eyes at her words, "N-no! I'll definitely work harder to pass the next time!"

Nana softened her eyes as she removed her reading glasses, placing it aside. As she lift Tsuna gently up onto her lap, she smiled, "Its alright. You don't have to try anymore, Tsu-kun. I've really gotten used to it-"

"B-but! Otou-san wont come home if I don't pass!" Tsuna protested, tears threatening to fall.

Nana's eyes darkened a little. With a sigh, she said, "He won't, will he?"

Tsuna paused with a sniff, "Okaa-san?"

"Well," Nana's voice turned slightly nostalgic, "That man has always been like this coming and going as he like. He probably won't come home no matter what unless he wants to.."

Tsuna's eyes widened in shock, "E-eh?"

_Otou-san..won't come home? Why?_

Waving it off with a smile, Nana said fondly, "Anyway, its alright okay? Tsu-kun? Its not as if he will even if you do pass.."

TSuna could only stare at her in disbelief, "B-but you said!"

Nana patted his back gently, "Now, now, don't think so much about it okay?"

"B-but, Okaa-san-" Tsuna open his mouth to protest only to be cut off by her, "Like I said, Okaa-san has already gotten used to the fact that Tsu-kun is my no-good son," she paused to pinch his nose jokingly, "So its alright, okay?"

Tsuna froze.

_Tsu-kun is my no-good son.._

_..my no-good son_

_Tsu-kun is.._

_Tsu-kun is no-good.._

A single drop of tear rolled down his cheek. Before he realised what he was doing, he had pushed his mother away, with a loud, "No!"

Running out of the house and onto the streets, the words replayed in his mind over and over again.

_Tsu-kun is no-good.._

_Why? T-tsu-kun thought that Okaa-san was different! _

_"Good job, Tsu-kun. If you keep this up, Otou-san will definitely come home so that he can praise Tsu-kun." Lies! Everything is a lie!_

_I hate everyone! Okaa-san and Otou-san are all liars! I hate them all!_

"Well, well, what do we have here?" Tsuna glance up with a sniff, recognizing his bullies from school.

"Ahaha! Can you believe this? Dame-Tsuna is already seven and his still crying!" another of them laughed, "Why don't we help him to toughen up?"

Tsuna cried even harder as they pushed him backwards and kicked at his sides repeatedly.

_Its meaningless to try to fight back.. No matter how hard Tsu-kun tries, even Okaa-san still thinks that Tsu-kun is no-good! Otou-san doesn't even care about Tsu-kun!_

"Tsuna? Hey, all of you, stop that now!" as the kicks finally stopped, Tsuna glanced up. At the sight of Ari, he instantly broke down again, sobbing in her arms.

"Oh my gosh, Tsuna! Are you alright?" as she hugged his gently, he couldn't help but wish to stay in her arms forever. He didn't want to go anywhere. Not even to where his Okaa-san was at.

* * *

Nana slammed open the door urgently and at the sight of Tsuna standing by the doorstep with his teacher, her heart almost melted with relief. Wrapping her arms around him into a tight hug, she cried, "Tsu-kun!"

As she finally calmed down, she noticed for a fact that Tsuna, was completely unmoving in her arms.

She glanced down at him worriedly, staring in shock at the look on his face. It was as though, _as though light had faded from the child's eyes. _

She looked up at Ari for help but only received a soft shake of a head, "He's been like this after he finally stopped crying when I found him."

"Tsu-kun.." Nana whispered worriedly at her child who only stared back at her emotionlessly.

"Let me try," Ari gave a her a reassuring smile to Nana as she leaned down to Tsuna, "Tsuna, are you upset about your test result?"

A flicker of life came to Tsuna's eyes and disappeared almost instantly.

Ari softened her eyes in understanding. With a smile, she whispered to him, "Its okay, Tsuna, you can always try again."

As another flicker of life returned to his eyes, Ari almost sighed in relief when all of a sudden, Tsuna forced himself out of Nana's arms with a glare full of hatred.

Both Nana and Ari stared in shock as Tsuna shouted at them almost angrily, tears flowing down his cheeks, "I don't believe you! Everyone says that Tsu-kun is no-good! Even Okaa-san thinks that Tsu-kun is useless! Otou-san doesn't even want to come home to see Tsu-kun! Adults are all liars! Tsu-kun will never believe you again!"

With that, he ran into the house, leaving the two adults frozen in shock.

**_"Even Okaa-san thinks that Tsu-kun is useless!"_ **Nana's eyes widened.

_Don't tell me.. **"Okaa-san has already gotten used to the fact that Tsu-kun is my no-good son." **_

Her hands flew up to cover her mouth with a gasp as she released a choked sob, "Tsu-kun.."

_The words from someone standing in the sidelines might hurt you, but it is the ones from someone whom you truly loved from the bottom of your heart that hurts the most._

_~Fin~_

* * *

What do you think? I always hated the way Nana treated Tsuna even though we all know she's the best mom on earth. Sometimes, being the best isn't what's right at all.

Please leave a review and tell me what you think :)

Ciao

Raita


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